Veer mumbles to himself,
"Again with her what..." he sighs and says a bit louder, "think of a reason to
tell our parents where we have been since," he pauses and continued, "I will
guess four days."

Naagrani confirms,
"Oh yes...exactly four! Some good and strong reason," looking at all four,
"but first all of you go to Sukirti's chamber and rest. I will be there in some
time."

**************

Sapana pauses to look
around and asks not believing her eyes, "This is your room?"

Sukirti looks over
her shoulder, "Yes," and flopping down on her bed she asked, "Why any doubt?"

Armaan breaths in the
beautiful scent of the room and lets out, "Wow," as he goes and seat on a
nearby soft couch.

Veer asked, "What's
there to wow about?" and folded his hands across his chest.

Sukirti getting up in
sitting position, "Exactly, what's there to 'wow' about?"

Sapana laughed at her
friend's casualty. As she moves her eyes from the beautiful low stand bed with
blooming peacock as its back stead and two beautiful swans curving and leaning
over on either sides of the sleeping stage area, on the right she was
awe-struck seeing the small indoor pond with round stone platforms in middle
leading the way to the balcony facing the back side of the palace. She was
about to comment on the early sunrise view outside when she was stopped by a
voice behind her.

:? - "Hello
Everyone!"

Everyone turned towards the room entrance to see whom the voice
belonged to. No one spoke anything and just starred at the person. Moving in to
the room, "Oh common, I am sure that I don't look like a ghost, so stop
starring at me like that."

Sukirti and Veer
burst out laughing, but Sapana and Armaan stayed quite as they didn't knew who
the person was.

Sukirti got up as she
asked, "What are you doing over here? And this is my room; you are not supposed
to be in here."

"Oh blah blah, I just
came to see how many injuries you got. I also have no interest in talking with
you or coming in you room...get it."

Sapana interrupted
the moment, "can we know who he is?"

Veer grinned, "Sure
you can his name is Aum."

Aum said putting on a
smile, "Hello!" and gives a little wave.

Sapana and Armaan:
"Hi!" and than looked back from Veer to Sukirti.

Sukirti shook her
head slightly seeing the duo's blank face, "Alright, he is my brother, real,
but cousin in Insaan lok"

Sukirti smacked her
lips, "Than just tell her that you were with Armaan," before Sapana could
question back she thought herself and started, "wait does she has any..."

Sapana interrupted,
"No she does not, but I was with him for four whole days...and didn't even call
her once?"

Sukirti bit her lips
and said sheepishly, "Well, that is true! You were with him for four whole days
and you didn't call her once." The other four stared at her as if she was
insane, she ignored there looks and continued, "the only part you will lie
about is the place," which did the job of earning her a complete disappointed
glare from all four.

Sukirti defended,
"What? Has any one of you got anything better?"

Veer ignored her and
continued as if she didn't spoke a word, "What will you say to your sister," he
asked Armaan.

Armaan shrugged his
shoulders, "I don't have to tell her anything and this is not the first time I
have been away from home and before she has never asked me till now, than why
would she now?"

Sukirti understood
his point of view, she said, "You know she cares for you. True, she doesn't ask
you, but asks us whenever she meets any of us in the hallways."

Sapana agreed, "That
is true."

Armaan said, his
voice a bare whisper, "Everything is just not the same without mom and dad."

Sukirti smiled sadly,
"I know, even when only one is gone...everything changes." May be the other
didn't hear her, but since Aum was sitting right beside her, he clearly made
out her every single word. He turned towards her and looked at her quietly not
sure how to console. This topic has always been the sensitive one for both of
them.

Sapana sighed,
"forget that, let's get back to what we are supposed to do," keeping a hand of
Armaan's should she smiled an assuring one.

Armaan smiled back
and said, "Yeah, let's get to popping ideas," sarcastically, as till now, they
have barely came up with anything.

Veer said out loud,
trying to make sense to himself, "You can say, you were with Sukirti and you
guys were at - I don't know."

Other looked at him
with 'I don't know'faces too.

Aum whined, "I just
found out that we are this bad at coming up with ideas!"

Sukirti looked to her
right, feeling his presence, "You were here all along? I thought you already
left."

Aum said, "I will be
leaving in an hour or so...it will be five by than."

Sukirti exclaimed,
"FIVE! You kidding me? You know masi wakes up at like four."

Aum replied casually,
"I know, but we all went to sleep late tonight so, I am sure mom will wake up a
little late."

Sukirti asked, "Is
that little one whole hour?"
emphasizing on the word 'little'.

Aum smiled,
"Yeah...if that is going to stop you from making me get out of this room."

Sukirti smiled and
after few minutes she declared giving up, "How about we just go to my house,
and then we will decide what to do."

Veer gave a long
thought, "Hmmm" with the sound effect and looked over to Sapana and Armaan and
asked, "but do you think Naagrani will let us get out of here."

Aum said evidently, "that
- I don't think so...anyways Maa has been with Naagdev for long now. I wonder
what they are talking about."

Sukirti shook her
head from the thoughts that she was not getting that she was supposed to be
getting. To think of something else, she asked, "I don't get it - does any one
of you? What did Shivali meant?"

Veer replied, "I
don't know," and voiced out, "lets just figure out one problem here and than
think of that."

Sukirti dropped her
shoulders, "I know, it's just too much to think, but the problem is out of all
the time when I need my brain to think constant ' It is not!" turning to Aum,
"I am telling you, you should be on your way now."

Aum complained, "Arey
what yaar, jab dekho tab mujhe yahan se nikal ne ki hi baat karti hai, even
when you know that it will only take two minutes."

Sapana came out of
her zone hearing this and asked, "It will only take two minutes for you to get
to your house from here?"

Aum grinned showing
all his thirty-two, "Yeah, Cool huh!"
to which Sapana and Armaan's eyes gets as huge as owl's making Veer and Sukirti
laugh.

Armaan asked,"What
are you both laughing at? And tell me he is joking."

Veer said honestly,
"We are laughing at both of your expressions."

Sukirti added, "Yeah,
and no, he is serious..." turning to Aum, "Now, are you going or not?"

Aum looked at her
with annoyance, "Fine, I will go find Maa first than go."

Veer waved, "Bye bro,
take care. See you soon or when ever next time we crash."

Aum nodded in
acknowledgement, "Bye. You too take care," motions at Sukirti with his eyes
delivering the unspoken message.

Veer smiled and
nodded.

***************

Veer announced,
"Let's go, cause we are just wasting more time over here."

Armaan said, "I
agree, as Sukirti said, we will just see what to do next when we reach
Sukirti's house."

Right then Naagrani
came in and asked, "Who is talking about going?"

Sukirti got up and
started, "Maa, We were'" and trails off.

Naagrani shook her
head negatively, "No, no one is going anywhere until you tell me what you are
going to tell?"

All four of them
bowed their heads down and looked on the floor.

After few minutes
Veer said, "Naagrani, we are already away from home for so many days now, the
more we stay away, the more we have to cover up so,"

Naagrani asked, "So?"

All four looked at
each other, but no one dared to utter a single word.

Naagrani sighed,
"Okay, you all can go, but Sukirti you will have to come back at night."

Sukirti asked,
"Night? Why?"

Naagrani said, "There
is something we have to talk about." Understanding that 'we' include Naagdev
too, Sukirti nodded a small yes and all four friends made their way out.

***************

All four of them are
standing in front of Sukirti's house. The sun has not yet risen, but the first
ray will spread soon.

Veer broke the early
morning silence, "I will do it," and saying this he raised his hand slowly and
pushed the door bell. It had only be few seconds and the door opened as the
four saw Sukirti's mom looking at them one by one with totally confusion.

Shilpa exclaimed
after good two minutes, "Sukirti! Where were you?"

Sukirti looked at
Sapana not sure what to say and her friends gave a shrugged look back to her.

Shilpa said, "Come
inside," as she moved to her side so that everyone can enter and they all went
in the living room and sat down on the sofa. Silence followed yet again.

Shilpa asked, "I want
to know everything that's been happening. Where were you? And what are you
three doing over here? And don't you dare to lie to me."

All four looked at
each other periodically with nervousness clearly visible lining their facial
features. Not one was sure what to answer to those many questions that were
directed towards them. It's like a test from whom they know the answers to but
not know how to put each answer forward.

Shilpa sighed and
asked, "Were you all together?"

Everyone nodded and
whispered, "Yes" at the same time.

Shilpa asked the next
question, "May I know where?"

No one spoke a single
word. After about ten minutes Shilpa spoke up, "You know you guys have been
away for four whole days. Goodness gracious and that too you leave home at
midnight Sukirti...You know Priyanka came here the next day and she informed
that you guys were talking on phone at midnight. I bet you were talking about
that news. Am I right?"

Sukirti nodded,
"Yes."

Shilpa looked at her
daughter sternly, "What happened after that?"

Sukirti thought,
'Veer showed up on my window, that's precisely what happened after,' but
clearly she didn't said that out loud.

Shilpa continued,
"And you guys do know that going away from house at midnight is like eloping."

Sukirti gulped down a
huge frog in throat, she didn't liked the word her mother used to describe her
actions, though she knew that is exactly what one will refer to as.

Veer said with
uncertainty, "But we were not running away; we came back."

Sukirti gave him a
stern look. Shilpa agreed, "Yes...after four days...Not a single call, not
telling where you are going...What was that important that you guys had to go?
I am sure you guys are not working that your boss called at such time and you
guys even go."

Sukirti hated to hide
things from her mother, she could hear the hurt in her mother's voice. What
made it worse was that it was her actions that made her mother hurt. "Maa
woh..."

Shilpa raised her brows
as Sukirti trailed off, "Yes. Go ahead" When no one spoke she continued, "What
about you two?" turning to Armaan and Sapana, "Does your parents know?" They
both shook their head a big not being to look up 'NO'.

Before they can speak
anymore they all heard the same tune again they heard when they were on the way
to palace from the village.

All four of them got
up on their feet, like the switch had been pushed making them jump up. Now
understanding what Shivali meant by "its
time for them to know the truth." The
tune was getting louder and louder just as it had the last night. All four of
them looked at each other wide eyed not believing their own ears and before
they can react to anything - Sukirti slowly fainted and fell down on the floor.

Shilpa jumped back as
the scream escaped her lips, "Sukirti!" confused she asked, "What's going on?"
and right than Veer also fainted and fell to ground. When all three; Shilpa,
Sapana and Armaan looked down in place of Sukirti and Veer they saw two snakes.

Shilpa's eyes getting
wide, turned to Armaan and Sapana. Who looked at each other not sure what to
say or do now. They felt jammed in between some machine that had been turned on
and their was no way for them to escape and save themselves.

After few minutes the
tune fainted and Armaan spoke, "So Shivali was right of all she said."

Sapana said not
believing it herself, "Guess so," she always thought that predictions,
premonitions, and people acting to be physics was all just drama to earn their
livings.

Shilpa asked finally
finding her voice, "Where is Veer and Sukirti?"

Armaan and Sapana
pointed down where the snakes were which have now disappeared.

Shilpa said getting
more confused, "Snakes?" they both nodded. Shilpa asked, "What do you mean?"
with a look that said, you are major
retards if you think I believe you.

Just then Sukirti and
Veer walked out from the kitchen so Shilpa forgot her question and instead
asked, "How did you two get into the Kitchen?"

Veer and Sukirti
glanced at each other then looked at Armaan and Sapana; all four scared and
nervous since now they know that they cant hide the truth anymore.

Shilpa declared
making her words clear, "I want to know every single detail, not a word here or
there, more or less...Right Now!"

*mystic.moon*IF-Dazzler

So, friends as many of you requested an update on Valentines Day - here it is! True it not love filled or any such sort. I am sure that many of us predicted that too as the story was going!

Welll, now go ahead and a comment away - POST your views. this is the second last chapter. Which means there is one more chapter to go and the "Secret Life" will be no more a secret life!" So, what do you guys think? How will this book end? Let me know!

-Araina-IF-Stunnerz

Simply loved the part. Coming home part. They were four days! So you're saying that all of this happened in only 5 days? Uh -uh-uh Aum I tell you! Always up to mischiefs Love him too. Poor him. Armaan made him a girl Sukirti and Veer fighting up. *shakes head* When will they STOP fighting? Wait, I know that answer. Don't tell And Shilpa. Gosh, Don't I just love her? Eloping thought already Truth to be out. Will read the last part soon now

so i was rite...about shivali's forecast...so they are going to tell the truth to their parents...but this will happen so soon...n in this way...i hv never imagined......but poor armaan n sapna...bechare hamesha phas jaate hai...

waiting to see their expression...when they got know about their childrens truth...

waise ab to charon ki charon ki lag gae...maza ayega...

n yes so u r ending this first book...

really waiting for the book 2...to know about lovestory...n how their life will took turns...

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